Sunday AM was a semi-delightful day with increasing clouds and an
occasional splatter of raindrops.

The local American wigeon population has grown to at least 500. One very
small Canada goose was feeding amongst the mallards and wigeons. It was
only marginally larger than the ducks, and I couldn't see any "neck" ring.
The only other geese around were the 4-6 domestic plus Canada half-breeds
that are resident here. About a week ago a flock of ~35 Canada geese, the
extremely large subspecies, were seen flying by. Also 2-3 Common loons
can be seen south of the fishing pier and jetty. Two are still in
part-alternate plumage and one may be a first year bird.

There is an increase in Rhinocerous auklets with some even foraging
amongst the boat slips. And our wintering Pied-billed grebe(s) have
returned. Also seen was a single, female Common merganser feeding with
the ducks. She may the same bird that has winter-residenced here for the
past few seasons. A flock of at least 25 Red-breasted mergansers flew
south just off the end of the fishing pier. Horned grebes may number in
the dozens by now as do the White-winged and Surf scoters (SO glad to have
'em back!), but Red-necked grebes have not yet appeared nor have
Golden-eyes. The Western grebes seem to range intermittently in our area
of the Sound, and a flock (unusual to have so many here) of Killdeer
remain feeding together on the beach (now 8; 15 were noted 2 weeks ago.)

A highly confident, baleful-eyed, adult Bald eagle spent most of the day
dispersing the ducks and gulls, and a Merlin showed up to exacerbate the
fray. May they have dined well; both of these are probably resident
here, and may have nested successfully (at least the Eagle probably did,)
But the Eagle didn't get all the local Great Blue herons. I saw four
adult herons feeding in the shallows at low tide yesterday morning.

Not a bad day but saw no Shearwaters or Petrels (drat!)

Maureen Ellis me2 at u.washington.edu Univ of WA and Des Moines, WA